Crowned poet laureate by the Habsburg emperor Maximilian at Cologne (1512), Glareanus established himself briefly at Basel in 1514, where he came under the influence of the Dutch Humanist Erasmus. He became a champion of the new Humanism but, though initially affected by the Reformation, subsequently rejected it and consistently opposed such Swiss Reformers as his erstwhile friends Huldrych Zwingli and John Oecolampadius.

After living for a time in Paris (1517–22), Glareanus again took up residence in Basel, only to leave once more when the city accepted the Reformation (1529). From 1529 until his death he taught at Freiburg im Breisgau. His works include commentaries on Greek and Roman writers, mathematical and descriptive geography, and some musical treatises.

His treatise Dodecachordon expanded the medieval system of eight modes—i.e., scales with different sequences of half tones and whole tones—by adding the Ionian (major) and Aeolian (minor) modes. This expanded system influenced many later composers and theorists. A rich source for the music historian, Dodecachordon also contains valuable examples and discussions of the music of the noted composer Josquin des Prez (Glareanus’ favourite composer) as well as of works by Jakob Obrecht, Jean d’Ockeghem, and other prominent composers of the period.